1. United States
2. W.V.
3. Letter

Your recent celebration of St. Longinus speaks of a man whose eyes were opened and whose life was transformed. Perhaps you should spend less time posting about that miraculous awakening and more time examining your own political blindness. Your October 14 debate with Ace Parsi exposed a troubling disconnect between your political rhetoric and the needs of West Virginians. While you defended your party’s sweeping tax-and-spending legislation, your opponent raised serious concerns about Medicaid, SNAP, affordability, and the consequences of military spending. These are not abstract political talking points. They affect real families in the communities you were elected to serve. Your responsibility is not to protect Donald Trump from accountability, defend every Republican policy, or serve as a partisan spokesperson. Your oath is to support and defend the United States Constitution. That includes respecting the separation of powers, exercising independent congressional judgment, and representing constituents regardless of their political affiliation or religious beliefs. Your public expressions of Catholic devotion are your right. But religious piety is not evidence of political integrity. America has no religious test for public office, and your constituents deserve leadership grounded in constitutional principles rather than performances of personal righteousness. Your social media presence also deserves scrutiny. When your comment sections appear filled with engagement from accounts whose connection to West Virginia is unclear, constituents are entitled to question whether your online popularity reflects meaningful public support. That is not proof of misconduct, but it makes genuine, accessible engagement with the people of your district all the more important. West Virginians need an independent representative who answers difficult questions, welcomes public scrutiny, protects essential services, and places the Constitution above political loyalty. The irony of celebrating a saint whose eyes were opened while refusing to confront the consequences of your own political choices is difficult to ignore. We do not pay you to preach to us. We pay you to represent us. I urge you to demonstrate your integrity through action: defend Congress’s constitutional authority, demand accountability from the executive branch, hold accessible public forums, and put the well-being of West Virginians ahead of partisan allegiance. Faith is personal. Public service is a responsibility. And an oath to the Constitution is not optional.